daewon
song
"I used to worry too much
about what other people
thought. But as you grow up
you realize, "Hey, I don't
have to worry about that.”
photos & interview by michael burnett
One quarter Super Fly Snucka, one quarter Z-Boy
and one half noseblunt-sliding, switch crooked
grinding plastic picnic table-attacking assassin,
Daewon Song is 100 and some-odd percent
charged and ready to guide skateboarding's pro-
gression into the new millennium. His skills, which
are hefty, come not from some psychological self-
torture or mathematical analysis of the tricks he
pursues, but from lots of speed, laughter, and love
for skating-a love that has let him bypass the pit-
falls of inner city life to become one of the most
emulated skaters of the 1990s. Hardworking, hum-
ble and acutely conscious of the responsibilities
and opportunities his position affords him, Daewon
embodies the definition of a professional skate-
boarder. However, when you see all the fun he's
having, it hardly seems like he's at work.
Who's usually in your skate crew?
Well, there's Enrique, Jon F, Shiloh, Carlos and Daniel.
That's the usual lineup.
Does it suck that your skate friends always have
to work?
Yeah, all of them work.
What about Daniel Castillo? Does he work?
Nah, he just skates. Skating with him is fun.
Do you like skating with a bunch of people when
you go filming or just you and Soc?
When it comes to filming, I like it when a lot of peo-
ple are skating and trying stuff.
How long have you been friends with Soc?
About nine years.
He should be doing this interview.
You think so?
Yeah, he knows all your secrets.
Oh yeah, my secrets.
When did you meet him?
I had heard about the legend of Socrates, the master
of the jump ramp. I heard about him from some guys at
this church. He was in some club at school called The
360 Club, so we just met for some launchin. So he start-
ed filming a little, and now he's one of the best filmers
in the world, and we still go skating.
Was he launching good enough to get on Z?
Yeah. Hell yeah.
Could he do the Jer Air?
Nah, I haven't seen too many people do that in person.
What was the Jer Air?
The Jer Air is pretty much a Christ air where you put
the board behind your back, then throw it between
your legs and hop back on.
Why's it called the Jer Air?
I don't know.
Right: Daewon putting the tech back into technical skating with a mind-melting backside flip transfer to switch frontside crooked grind. Meditate on that!
I thought it was because it was invented by
Jeremy Klein.
Really, I thought Per Welinder made it up. He
did? It was a hard trick. Oh yeah, Jeremy Klein.
Who was your favorite WWF wrestler?
Either Jimmy "Super Fly" Snucka, or The
Dragon, Ricky Steamboat.
You're lying.
No, remember Tatonka?
The Ugandan Headhunter?
No, Tatonka was the islander. And Mr.
Wonderful, Paul Orndorf, 'cause he had the
pile driver.
Did you ever unload the pile driver on anybody?
Nah, my patented move was the sweep suplex-
catch 'em off guard all the time. They think they're
cool with me, whaah! Down they go.
Do you still watch it?
It's hard for me to watch it now. I mean, it's fake
but it's not super fake, 'cause they're still dealing
with a lot of pain.
Why didn't you want to do demos and contests
and stuff like that a few years back?
I used to be like, "Man, what are they gonna
think?" and this and that. I used to be intimi-
dated by other people real easily. I'd think if I
tried something they'd be like, "Yeah, that
sucked." I used to worry about what other peo-
ple thought too much. But as you grow up you
realize, "Hey, I don't have to worry about that."
It's like eating chicken in front of somebody. If
you're hungry, eat it.
Did you get pressure from the businessmen at
World to do more of that kind of stuff?
Nah, 'cause I've been friends for so long with
Rodney and Steve that it's almost like if they see
me going for a downfall, they check to see if every-
thing's all right with me. Not my skating. They
would care to an extent-anybody with a business